The New Hot Tomato's

The landmark restaurant at 1 Union Place has a new look, new menu and new owners who admit some fans are still getting over the sudden closing and reopening of the popular Hartford eatery.

"It can be a little confusing because a lot of the people who were here before the old Hot Tomato's closed are wondering if it's still the same place," said managing partner Greg Pattinella. "But we are reintroducing diners to the new Hot Tomato's."

Gone is the pile of tomatoes mural in the main dining room as well as the retro art that was above the bar. In its place, there is new artwork and a new layout. The bar area that once included booths and tables for dining is now a dedicated bar/lounge with high-top tables and a traditional bar area.

The dining room is contained to the upstairs area near the open kitchen. A private dining room is also still available and the patio is still the coveted seasonal place to eat with its view of Bushnell Park. Walls are done in an ombre faux finish, and stonework has been added as part of the new décor in the restaurant. New lighting has been added as well.

"We call it whimsical Italian," said Pettinella, who partnered with Chris Calvanese, of Aqua Turf and New Mill Restaurant fame in the new venture. "We have taken the classic of Italy and had some fun with it."

Executive chef Eric Baldrige, who is also a managing partner, has kept a couple of the former Hot Tomato's favorites on the menu, including the vegetarian Spasta Pasta and the pasta and sausage Tort Rose. Formerly with Michael Jordan's, Baldridge has added some of his own specialty dishes to the menu, including a 10-ounce bone-in veal chop, cold poached shrimp cocktail, bruschetta and wood-grilled Ahi tuna.

For dining fun, there is the spicy Pasta Arrabiata (Angry Pasta) that can be ordered hot or very hot, and the four-pound lasagna. If you can eat the $64 mega-entrée in less than 30 minutes, it's free and you get your name on the restaurant's Wall of Fame.

A children's menu, complete with crayons to keep them occupied, is also available.

Well known in its previous life for its four cheese and garlic bread, the new Hot Tomato's still offers that famous bread, and the new owners also have added a second bread choice featuring blue cheese and Gorgonzola cheese dip.

Dinner entrees range from about $15 to $33. Lunch is also served.

Hot Tomato's is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. The restaurant is also open on Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner, with the bar open until 1 a.m. Telephone is 860-249-5100.

Small Bites

Restaurants who do business with Hartford Distributors Inc. in Manchester have banded together to help raise money for the families of the victims in the recent tragedy there. During the month of August, several eateries are donating 50 cents from every tall beer sold to the Hartford Distributors Memorial Fund. Among the participating restaurants are all the MAX Restaurant group locations including Max Downtown and Max Oyster Bar, Agave, Boston's Pizza, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dish Bar and Grill, Dish n' Dat, Salute, TD Homer's, The Tavern Downtown, Up or On The Rocks, Vaughan's Public House and Wood-n-Tap.

O'Porto, named Hartford's best Portuguese restaurant in the 2010 Hartford Advocate poll, is celebrating its fifth anniversary this month with a special prix-fixe menu through Sunday.

The $20.74, three-course dinner includes diners' choice of four appetizers, five entrees and three desserts. Diners also can enter to win a week's stay in a villa on southern Portugal's Algarve Coast. The winner will be announced Sunday at the restaurant. O'Porto is at 2074 Park St. in Hartford. Call 860-233-3184 or go to oportohartford.com

Hartford area's Saengerbun's (German Club) will hold its annual Bierfest! Aug. 27 to 29 at 719 North Mountain Road, Newington. Cost is $8 a person and includes entertainment by a Bavarian brass band, dance demonstrations and a crafts fair. A variety of German foods, including grilled wursts, wiener schnitzel and leberkaese, and imported German beers will be sold. The beer fest will be open Aug. 27 and 28 from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Aug. 29 from noon to 8 p.m. Call 860-953-8967 or go to http://www.hartfordsaengerbund.org for information.

Il Palio di Siena is an ancient, historical horserace held yearly in the Piazza de Campo in Siena Italy. On Monday, The Angry Olive Italian Bistro, which features the eight regions of Siena, will celebrate the tradition with an Il Palio di Siena Derby Dinner beginning at 6 p.m. The event will include a mock horserace with proceeds donated to the Christian Haitian Outreach, an orphanage outside Port au Prince, Haiti. Cost is $75 a person. Call 860-257-8402 for information.